Steeplechase Entries

Susie Rydell · Post by **Susie Rydell** » 17 years ago

Obviously, everyone's entitled to do what they want when they enter, but a major issue struck me when I was looking at current steeplechase entries.

There are 7 'chasing stakes over the next 2 weeks (3 @ Chaser Downs, 4 at Hurdle Park). All seven are FULL (by my count - 85 horses are in, the World Hurdle has 13). I went through and looked at them and only *25* of them have ever won a steeplechase... that's less than 30% of those entered. Not only does that more than likely place 60 horses over their heads, which is never a good thing, but it leaves the a bunch of horses who HAVE won without a spot to run in. It was one thing the first couple weeks of the year when they were all maidens, but there are now something like 82 horses who have won over fences. With more than half of the steeplechases availible being restricted to maidens, their options are already limited... and now unless their owner can get on RIGHT away to enter, they're being kept out of races theoretically for winners. So... I guess my point is, just try to keep in mind that when you enter, you're also keeping someone out. I'd advise people to think long and hard about if their horses belongs in a given spot or not. If you got pummeled in a maiden, odds are you're not going to run well in a stakes race against a couple of horses who HAVE won. You're going to lose your entry fee and, probably, the race. That's not in your best interest or in the best interest of your horse, who probably doesn't enjoy getting beat.

Alysse Peverell · Post by **Alysse Peverell** » 17 years ago

Susie is very right. With steeplechasing being so new, it's hard to figure out and there aren't many conditions to run in. Winners can only go in claimers or stakes. Why should they have to go in the claiming race if they can be competitive in stakes, but can't get into them when the races are filled with unqualified horses? Please try to be fair. If you were in the position with a winner who can't get in a race that it's suited for, wouldn't you be annoyed as well?

And like she said, if you've been finishing up the track in chases and the race has five horses in it who have won, you're just going to be wasting money on the entry fee and wasting the start.

Dave Shields · Post by **Dave Shields** » 17 years ago

I'll third that... however, I don't even have any stakes quality chasers (yet?).

While chases are still new and everyone is trying to figure out what is going on with them, it is in your best interest to get your horse to break a maiden before entering the stakes company. In the first few weeks it was a little different, but now that there are "legit" winners, chances for breaking ones maiden in stakes company is going to be harder.

Horse placement is a HUGE part of the game strategy, so it is wise to place your horses where they will likely do their best.

Carolyn Eaton · Post by **Carolyn Eaton** » 17 years ago

I guess the silly thing is that to run a horse in a stakes takes money - take week 7's Grand National - 5 of the entered horses have never won a steeplechase, 4 haven't hit the board in a steeplechase - so those players are forking out $7500 of limited funds for a snowball's chance in H.E.hockeysticks of bringing home money.

Angela Dee Cochran · Post by **Angela Dee Cochran** » 17 years ago

Im glad I dont have many chasers as it is hard to get them in a race at times. I agree with you guys and I will keep that in mind when I am entering them. I have 1 that has won and 1 that has placed the rest obviously have no reason to be in a stakes, but I had put one in a claiming for his first race because I hadnt been able to get him into a maiden race.

Can we sponser some races ?

LaDonna King · Post by **LaDonna King** » 17 years ago

when the maiden races fill within 5 minutes of them being posted, you enter what you can where you can...otherwise you get shut out and your horses don't race period. while it might be very tough to break a maiden against winners, it's impossible to break a maiden sitting in the stall. none of my steeplechasers are racing this week or next week, as i can't seem to be able to get online quick enough to get mine entered....yet i'm usually online shortly after them being posted. i'm to the point right now that i'm just going to give them away...better to do that than let them sit and rot in the stall...

Sean Feld · Post by **Sean Feld** » 17 years ago

I have a steeplechaser that was set to run in the week 7 stakes race that won by 10 and now I can't run and that shouldnt be allowed. I sixth that!

Matthew McMahon · Post by **Matthew McMahon** » 17 years ago

I have 2 steeplechasers that have broken their maiden, looking for a place to run in Week 7 ... but nothing

Rebecca Rose Hepburn · Post by **Rebecca Rose Hepburn** » 17 years ago

I agree with Angela, can we sponser some steeplechase races?

Dave Shields · Post by **Dave Shields** » 17 years ago

OK, I just realized I have 2 maidens entered in stakes for week 6. I think when I entered them that was the only place I could enter, as the maiden races were already full. So I am guilty too.

Guess its time to sponsor some races.

Post by **The Steward** » 17 years ago

You can sponsor as many steeples as you would like!

Nikki Everdeen · Post by **Nikki Everdeen** » 17 years ago

I agree with everything that has been said, as well! I haven't won a steeplechase, so mine are safely in maidens. I'd rather not hurt the confidence of my horses, than have them get pummeled. And Susie brings up a good point that because of this, people are getting shut out of the stakes races. Would it be fair to only allow winners over fences for the time being into the stakes races? Although that might shut out horses who finished on the board in stakes races Week 1, 2, etc. who had been entered there because of course at that point, nobody had won a steeplechase.

John Slotmon · Post by **John Slotmon** » 17 years ago

I disagree with the premise of this thread. Whether it's foolish or not, or above the head of a particular horse or not, people have the right to enter a horse where they may. And honestly, if there's someone out there who is looking to claim steeplechasers for $25 or $30k when you can have them for significantly less than that on the sales page, I'd love to meet them.

Also, as has been pointed out, there aren't that many chase races out there. I don't begrudge a soul if they want to enter a maiden in a steeplechase stakes.

Nikki Everdeen · Post by **Nikki Everdeen** » 17 years ago

J Slotman wrote: And honestly, if there's someone out there who is looking to claim steeplechasers for $25 or $30k when you can have them for significantly less than that on the sales page, I'd love to meet them.

The difference is that I haven't seen a single steeplechase winner on the sales page, at least for less than the claiming price. Sure, you can buy a horse cheap on the sales page as a steeplechase horse, but it won't be a winner, and probably deserves to be in a claiming race. The winners, at least of maiden special weight 'chases, don't deserve to be in a claiming race just because they can't get into a stakes race due to bad horses being entered. They may not deserve to be in the stakes, but they at least should get into allowance races, and I'm sure that the same problem is happening with allowance races.

Peihe Sun · Post by **Peihe Sun** » 17 years ago

I would love to claim a steeplechaser who has won a race, Slotman, and that's the point of this thread. The owners of 'chasers would have broken their maidens are loathe to place their horses in claimers because they WILL be claimed, by people like me. But they can't enter stakes either, because people who will be forking over 7500 in stakes entry fees for their maiden steeplechasers have taken up all the available slots.